1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus, method, and computer program product and more specifically to mechanisms for transporting user value across multiple virtual world environments.
2. Background of the Invention
Recently, with increased usage of data networks and the Internet, advancements have been made in representing virtual environments with which users of computing devices may interact through their computing devices. Many “virtual worlds” have been created in which users may have virtual representations of themselves that are able to interact with objects in the virtual world. These virtual representations of the users are generally referred to as avatars. These avatars may take many different forms from virtual human being representations, virtual non-human character representations, inanimate object representations, e.g., space ships or the like, etc. The types of avatars that may be provided for representing a user is generally dependent upon the type of virtual world in which the avatar is to be used.
For example, virtual worlds are often provided in the context of massively multiplayer online games (MMOG) or simply a MMO. A MMO is a video game which is capable of supporting hundreds or even thousands of players simultaneously. As such, MMOs are typically provided via a data network, such as the Internet, in which users of client computing devices communication with one or more server computing devices that provide the virtual world environment for the MMO. Examples of such MMO role playing games include World of Warcraft™, Everquest™, Eve Online™, Pirates of the Burning Seas™, PhantasyStar Online™, Second Life™, City of Heroes™, City of Villains™, and the like.
With such MMOs, users typically invest a large amount of time playing their avatars within the virtual world environment so as to increase the abilities of the avatars though the increasing of attributes of the avatars as well as acquiring virtual objects or items that provide increases, or even new, abilities of the avatars. For example, a user playing World of Warcraft™ may spend many hours, days, or even months, increasing his/her virtual character's, or avatar's, strength, magic ability, etc., and may perform various virtual “quests” to obtain virtual items, such as armor, weapons, magical items, or the like, that add to the virtual character's abilities within the World of Warcraft™ virtual world environment. Moreover, other more indirect attributes of the virtual avatar may be affected by the investment of time that the user makes in playing the virtual avatar within the virtual world environment, such as ranking within a clan, guild, or other association of user avatars, improvements made to virtual dwellings for the virtual avatar, etc. In short, with the increased popularity of virtual world environments, users are spending more time in these virtual world environments which represents an investment made by the users in their representations within these virtual world environments.